Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-06
SNORT OF THE IRON STEED
INTERSTATE COMMERCE RATES
sCANTY FODDER.

1o. Sbeilman Among Those Who Ask
Suspension OF the Long and short
HauI Clause Congressman Butter
worth Attacks the Alleged Tendencies
,fthe Railroads to Untversal Centrsli-
zati0n waterways Declared Unable
to Discriminate against Small Towns.
WASHINGTON, April 5.-Col. Worth
tnqtou. general counsel for the Richmond
and Danville system, Maj. Shellman,
traffic manager OF the Central Railroad
and Banking Company of Georgia, and
Vice President Smith, OF the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad Company, ap-
peared before the Interstate Commerce
Commission this morning. each in behalf
of his own corporation, to file the neces-
sary formal petitions for relief. In each
,ase the purpose of the petitioners is to
secure a suspension Of the operation OF
the long and short haul feature of the law
for the present and until the commission
can give hearing upon eacn speclhca-
ton, -
THE PERMANENT QUARTERS.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
has selected as permanent quarters the
fifth story of the Sun building. This Is
an eigbt-story marble front structure, to
which the builders are jIst putting the
finishing touches. 1t was built by and is
the nroperty OF the Baltimore Sun. 1t is
centrally located upon + street, nearly
midway between the Post Office and In
terror Departments on the one hand and
the Treasury on the other, and ha 8 every
convenience known and approved CT IN
modern architecture. Inc annual rental
OF the floor is $4,000.
Congressman Butterworth, accom-
panied by Capt. j. r. Stockdale, of the
Pittsburg and Cincinnati steamboat Com
nany: Capt. Gus Hansell, OF the Big
Sandy and Louisville Mail line, and Capt.
R. W. Wise, of the Memphis and Cincin-
natl Packet Company, appeared before
the commission as representatives of
''rlver interests"
RAILROADS GOVERNMENT AGENTS:
MIR. Butterworth, as spokesman OF the
delegation, addressed the commission.
He maintained that railroads were
agencies of the government, and that the
powers conferred upon them were con-
ferred by all citizens, and hence should
not be exercised for the advantage of one
class against another. The present ten
dency was to produce great aggregations
Of people-large cities-because the cor
porate agencies OF the government gave
special privileges TO favored points, tax
ing some localities for the benefit OF
others. 1t was not for the public good
that this should be. If one desired to
start a factory at an intermediate point
it could not now be done, not because ad-
vantages were lacking, but because the
government agencies would tax, III the
way OF transportation charges, for the
purpose of driving out competition.
RIVERS OPEN TO ALL.
The men who carry freight upon the
great natural hIghways-the rivers-have
no power of this kind. They could not
forestall the markets. Ii one chos92tO
charge eXorbItaut rates another would
enter upon the same line in competition.
The railroads now asked authority to fix
rates which will drive the factories from
the rivers. Their charges were not fixed
IN accordance with any systematic ad-
lustment OF rates, but as matter OF COM
petition in which one party or the other
must go under. There we're classes OF
goods, and always would be. which would
go by rail irrespective OF the rates of COM
peting lines. He noticed by the reports
laid before The commission by some of the
roads that their through traffic was only
20 per cent. of their traffic. Now what
proportion would they lose if compelled
to adopt uniform rates. In his opinion it
would be inconsiderable.
LOCAL TRAFFIC.
Touching local trade, one man whose
shipments we're but half a carload was
compelled to pay fourth class rates, while
larger shipper OF the same sort of ma
lerlai, shipping hundreds OF carloads,
was given the rates Of the fifth class and
+. reaped advantages from this discrimina-
tlOn which had a tendency to crush out
small shippers. In his Opinion 1t was the
purpose OF the law to prevent these dis
ordinations, which foster great aggre-
cations and tend to the production of
GQlllvers and pigmies.
vice President Smith, OF the Louisville
and Nashville road, said that so far as
'ne southern Association was concerned
mere was no discrimination In favor of
'drge cities. The managers OF the rail-
!osds recognized that IL was not for their
interest to centralIze business and trade.
MICHIGAN's INTERESTS.
'eofge r. Blanchard, Chairman of the
Central Iraf1c Assoc aJion, appeared and
sooressed the commission briefly in be-
ash OF Michigan railroads, setting forth
,le circumstances which led to the estab-
nshment Of lower through rates from
Nhwaukee across the lake and thence
across the State Of Michigan than could
gwen Tor local traffic by reason of all
.aIl competition via Chicago. These
.oaus asked permission to maintain local
.ales irrespective OF through rates until
,ucu time as the commission shall lie able
=" "uke the peculiar circumstances and
''uati0n into consideration.
Low GRAIN RATES.
,yonn D. Lazarus, general freight agent
w. y &tne indianapolis, Decatur and Spring
ueu railway, applied by letter for ''Ihe
m'n5 ge OF charging less on grain and
'uer traI1c received from connecting
es sS at functions than we make from our
,ooaI stations" lie says. for example.
iSaI the local rate from Tuscola, ILL.,, to
dIouIahapolis is &C., and the rate from In.
9,suapolis to New York is 23c., making
& -9. from Tuscola to New YORK. The
raag eS ol other roads IL 27l@c., and il this
roau u participates in connecting line bust.
~ must reduce local rates by 4Lc.
PASSENGER COMPETITION.
,r a, a. ~, smith, general passenger agent
nroeo. Guy / tlttsourg and Lake Erie road, has
ooented a petition asking that the
for ahu snort haul provision be waived
,s,io one present as regards the transpor-
sra VN oi passengers between Pittsburg
ibo SeW YORK. THIS line is longer than
in a. enneylVania route, with which IL is
nf ,h upetltlon, and 10 get "A small portion
ratoa passenger traffic has put down
ior 49,. 70 - % ior seoond.class and so 80
II sylyssstt.c lass, against $40 80 by the Penn.
Va a Anderson, SUPERINTENDENT of tho